Kylie Coy – Greenhouse Internship

Hi, my name is Kylie Coy and I am currently interning at the Aeroponics Greenhouse located at Garden Spot Village in New Holland. I attend the internship on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. On these days, a few residents who reside at GSV come in and help us harvest and plant. For the harvest, plants are taken out of the towers, weighed, and taken to various places. Plants go to CrossNet Ministries and to the kitchens in GSV. After the harvest is done, the residents and I will plant new plants into the towers. Typically, there are one or two residents who will put seeds on the table as well. My daily routine includes helping the residents with the harvest, harvesting herbs, planting lettuce/microgreens, and transcribing the weights of each lettuce going to the kitchens on a paper. It may not sound like much, but it’s a lot of hard work.

I am not specifically working on any projects at this time, but all I am currently doing is helping me grow as an individual and in this industry. Walking into this internship, I did not really know anything about this type of greenhouse and that is what pulled me into this internship. Almost every day I am learning something new. This could either be how to change the nutrient tanks under the seeding tables or about the lettuce itself. In regards to how I have grown as a person, it has taught me how to interact and be sociable with new people every day. Every time I come into the greenhouse the residents are there. I had to learn how to interact with them and it was also fun getting to know each of them. The thing I look forward to most coming in every other day is coming and seeing the smiling residents and being able to interact with them.

This experience has helped me become a stronger leader, understanding how a business is run, and how to problem-solve when problems arise. I am still undecided on a future career, but I am leaning toward the business side. So, with this experience under my belt, I have learned leadership roles that are needed in businesses. Also, I have learned how to handle things when faced with a problem. This will help with not just a future career, but life in general. All in all, seeing how the greenhouse runs and how things work, I have learned much about my possible future goals.

In conclusion, this internship has taught me many things for today and my future. I get to go in and talk with residents, learn about the greenhouse and how it differs from typically greenhouses, and overall have fun. This internship has helped me grow as a person and be more comfortable around people I am not super familiar with. I cannot wait to see what else I’ll get to learn and maybe future projects I’ll get to do in the greenhouse as well. If you ever have the chance to go to an aeroponic greenhouse, do it! They are unique and could change the future of our typical greenhouses.